1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of personal security systems, the field of vehicle emergency signal and position transmission systems, and to the field of mobile telephone systems for emergency and security use. It relates specifically to systems including cellular telephones capable of automatically dialing a preset emergency telephone number and activating a voice recording for relaying location and identification information.
2. Statement of the Art
Systems for generating and transmitting emergency signals are known in the prior art. These include systems for use on boats and ships, cars or trucks, and systems to be carried on a person. Cellular phone systems for dialing a preset emergency number and transmitting a position signal representing the current position of the vehicle, or, in some cases, the last recorded position of the vehicle are also known in the art. In the prior art, position information is obtained from a GPS or LORAN system, or determined by triangulation (or comparable calculation) from signal strength in cells of a cellular phone system. The prior art includes systems in which GPS or similar coordinates are translated to a local street address for more convenient location of the vehicle or individual. Prior art systems have been activated by various means, including a xe2x80x9cpanic buttonxe2x80x9d, car alarm activation, airbag deployment detector, or by pressing a key or sequence of keys on a telephone keypad.
There remains a need for an alarm system which is inexpensive, provides clear information about vehicle position, and can be activated by a user who is either inside or outside the vehicle.
The present invention includes a mobile security system for use in an automobile or other vehicle and which, when activated, uses a cellular telephone to dial a pre-set emergency telephone number and play a voice recording which states the location of the vehicle and provides other identifying information. The system also permits direct voice communication between the occupant of the vehicle and the contacted emergency operator. The system can be activated by depressing a switch or button on a user interface box mounted in the vehicle, or by pressing a panic button on a remote activation device which the operator carries on his or her person. The remote activation device transmits an RF signal to a transceiver mounted in the vehicle which then initiates dialing of the cellular telephone and transmission of the recorded emergency message. The remote activation device makes it possible for the user to activate the device from any location in the general vicinity of the vehicle, as well as from inside the vehicle, thereby greatly enhancing the utility of the security system. The system utilizes a voice recording of position information which is recorded by the operator of the vehicle and updated as needed. By using a user-recorded position message, the complexity and cost of the device is considerably reduced in comparison to systems which utilize more costly GPS devices. Moreover, the position message can include details which are not provided by other types of position signals.
The inventive system has the advantage that it can be manufactured relatively inexpensively, since it does not utilize a costly GPS.
The inventive system has the further advantage that it can be activated by a user that is either inside or outside of the vehicle.
It has the further advantage that either a pre-recorded emergency message can be transmitted, or the vehicle user may establish direct two-way communication with an emergency operator.